Robyn Announces Return of Festival Promoting Women in Technology

Robyn Announces Return of Festival Promoting Women in Technology

Photo by Märta Thisner

Last year, Robyn teamed up with Stockholm’s Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) to present Tekla, a one-day festival for girls aged 11-18 to promote greater participation of women in technology. On April 9, Tekla will return to KTH for more speakers and workshops—over 28 of them, including activities regarding space exploration, robotics, 3D printing, and more—as well as a performance from Robyn. Below, check out a conversation between Robyn and KTH president Peter Gudmundson about the gender gap in technology and the festival’s role in empowering young women.

Speaking on the benefits of having an all-female audience at the festival, Robyn drew a comparison between music and technology. “When there are only girls in a room, girls tend to pick up a new instrument that they probably wouldn’t play if there was a boy in the room,” she said. “If there was a boy in the room, it’d be, I think, harder for a girl to sit down by the drums and play the drums.”

“We need to be persistent in efforts to reduce the gender imbalance,” explained KTH President Peter Gudmundson in a press release. “It’s not enough to have a one-time event, so it is both exciting and important that we can hold Tekla Festival again this year.”

The event recently recieved the “Indie of the Year” award at Sweden’s Manifest Gala.

Read our report from the inaugural Tekla festival.

Watch an interview with Robyn for Pitchfork.tv:

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